The Daily Mail has linked former All Black Gatland, who is contracted to remain with Wales through until 2019, with the England job vacated by Stuart Lancaster in the week.

The report suggested Gatland might be "receptive" to a lucrative offer to take charge of England.
The Daily Mail also noted the Welsh Rugby Union's reported demand of £1.2million (NZ$2.8m) in compensation to buy out the 52-year-old would not deter the deep-pocketed Rugby Football Union.

"That fee would not necessarily discourage the RFU from pursuing the man who has guided Wales to two Grand Slams and a World Cup semifinal - and the Lions to series success in Australia," wrote the Daily Mail's Chris Foy.

"Just last week, Gatland suggested he would return to New Zealand in 2019, but Sportsmail understands he would be open to an approach by the RFU if there were compelling financial terms.

"One well-placed source has claimed Gatland would be tempted if he could install his own staff, and if the money was right."

Gatland told Radio Sport recently he intended to return to New Zealand when his Welsh contract ended in 2019 and hoped to coach at provincial or Super Rugby level in his native country.

WRU chairman Gareth Davies told Welsh media: "We have not had an approach from the RFU to speak to Warren. As he is under contract to us for the next four years, anyone wishing to speak to him would be obliged to seek permission from us first.
"That has not happened, we want to keep him and as far as I am concerned he is staying with us until 2019."

Former World Cup-winning Springboks coach Jake White has made it clear he would be interested in the England job, while ex-Wallabies and Japan mentor Eddie Jones, who has just taken up a role with the Stormers, has also been linked with the role.

Former All Blacks coaches Sir Graham Henry and Wayne Smith have both signalled their lack of interest in the job.

But England have been encouraged to pay what it takes to get Gatland to take charge of their national team by the Welshman who ran the RFU for six years.

Martyn Thomas, who was chairman of the Rugby Football Union from 2005-11, told the BBC England have the financial strength to lure Gatland away from his job with the Welsh.

"If I was in the RFU I'd talk to Gatland, I'd talk to [Wallabies coach] Michael Cheika," Thomas said.

"He [Gatland] did an amazing job even with the impediments that were put in his way in this World Cup, and it would be a very sad day for Welsh Rugby if he was to depart.

"The RFU is the richest union in the world by a million miles and having made an absolutely astronomical fortune out of this last World Cup they would throw at it any amount of money that they choose to.

"And money speaks ... one understands that careers can be short and anything can happen and people will chase the crock of gold at the end of the rugby rainbow if there is one."

- Stuff.co.nz

Gatland is no fool. If they made him a financial offer he couldn't refuse he would end up coaching in the most useless system on the planet, over which he will have little control and end up going the same way as Stuart Lancaster, but he will be very wealthy. I hope he doesn't, it isn't worth it.